Kybele

[Zephonith Serpent Woman]

 Magna Mater ~ Great Mother

 

In the beginning, Kybele was born into the world as an unwanted baby, and left to die in the forest by her unwilling and inconsiderate parents. Abandoned, and with very little hope of surviving the awful reality she faced, it was even thought by the Crow and the Fox of the emerald woods that it was only a matter of time before the infant, exposed to the harsh elements of an early Spring, would pass away and provide them with an easy meal.

However, when the Crow circled ever closer, he noticed that the infant was quite unlike any other human baby, or human being he had ever spied before. And with that quartz-crystal clear vision, there was no mistaking that what he saw was very unusual indeed. Puzzled, the crow called in his friend and co-opportunist, the fox, to come and have a second look before they continued on doing their day-job of cleaning up the forest of the weak and dying.

The fox could not believe how intense the aura of the small human appeared against the aether which enfolded it in a shimmeringly translucent light. Immediately, telepathic communication was established between the infant child and the fox, who after spontaneously grasping the divinity of the Nature Goddess wasted no time in summoning the leopard who was to become the baby Kybele’s wet nurse and the pride of Lions who were to teach the young Cybele in the ways of natural magick and accompany Her all through Her lifetime and beyond.

Kybele became the most powerful Witch of the mountains, and when her power became too great to be hidden, she transformed into an immortal Goddess of children, divination, fertility, Women’s Magick (Witchcraft) and especially healing.

 

Cybele is an ancient Phyrgian Mother Goddess, sharing the sacred traditional worship and symbols with other Mother Goddesses.  Kybele was called Kubaba and Kuba in Anatolia, where SHE was known as The Mountain Mother.

 

Originally an Anatolian Goddess, Cybele was known as the Mother Goddess of Rome and is also called Kybele and Magna Mater,the Roman Name of the Goddess which literally means, The Great Mother.

The Name of Cybele derived from two words, “cybela” meaning Cave; and “sybelis”, the word for the Labrys or double axe.

The Sibys were the first priestesses of Kubaba, from which Name proceeds Baba Yaga and Babushka.

 

 

Cybele was worshipped as a human goddess as well as  in the form of a sacred black meteorite. In this manifestation, Kybele is co-identical with the Arabic Goddess Allat.

Some scholars place Cybele as featuring in the patriarchal legends of Gilgamesh, as the harlot barmaid Siduri who tends the World’s End cantina. It is significant that both Inanna and Lilith are also degraded into the subordinate and/or banished within this epic tale of the archetypal male Hero.

Cybele is often portrayed holding a torch, which stands for spiritual illumination. The Goddess is often borne on a chariot which is pulled by Lions.

 The human body is the Chariot ; the Lions signify the Sun and the Earth, the vital life force which propels it forward ~ and the Higher Self  is portrayed as the Goddess driving and directing the vehicle to where it should go.(In this case in the pic above, it is towards Her consort, Attis)

Cybele also has the Rose as a symbol; representing purity and the attainment of perfection in metaphysical terms. The five-petalled rose refers to the sign of Life, the Pentagram. Another botanical emblem of the Goddess is the Oak tree.

 

 Cybele is worshipped as the Goddess Sri Bali in the Orient

 

The incorporation of the Mother Goddess into the new pantheons was accomplished with varying degrees of adaptation by the Mediterranean peoples. Cybele was venerated as Rhea, Gaia and Demeter.

Cybele and Attis were at one time, worshipped in Temples side by side with those of Osiris and Isis as all of the great Mystery Traditions were participated in by the people of all levels of society, of their own individual tastes and will. The Goddess makes no distinction, and so every man, from beggar to nobleman was equal when grovelling in the streets at the first sight of a Goddess procession.

 

In Greece, Cybele was celebrated as an exotic Goddess and many festivals were held in the Goddess’ honour. These celebrations consisted of a wild, disorderly and anarchic procession through the streets, during which much revelry and flamboyant dancing to the sounds of the drum and flute and drinking of wine and imbibing of stimulants and Aphrodisiacs was common practise. Typically, Kybele would lead the procession on a chariot drawn by Her Lions, and was often accompanied by other Divinities including Hekate, Dionysus or Bacchus.

In keeping with the very ancient traditions of Egypt of festivals held in honour of Isis, these festivals and riotous celebrations were led by Priestesses of the Goddess, who would ever spur the dancers on by playing the tambourines and lashing out with a whip every now and again, to keep the momentum and frenzied vibe going. In these days, ceremonial flagellation was enjoyed by all the participants, as a guarantee of renewed fertility, vitality and spiritual purification. It was such an enjoyable and effective way of bringing fertility and abundance in all areas of living, that men and women alike would be eagerly wanting a taste of it.

 

 

The Priests of the Goddess

 

Not every man desired to permanently commit themselves to the service of the Goddess; and needless to say, the thought of transvestism, androgyny and emasculation does not appeal to many ` while some were simply called to it. And it is really only those men who wish to completely commit themselves to the eternal service of the Goddess and become Priests who undergo a complete transformation.

In the later days of the Roman Empire, when the masculine was elevated above femininity on all levels, the emasculated priests were separated from society completely and denied citizenship as they were incapable of reproducing.

 

In keeping with the cultus of other Goddesses, the priests of Cybele were to undergo a ritual transformation prior to their acceptance into the Priesthood of the Mother Goddess.

The ancient tradition of a man who wished to dedicate himself to the Goddess, of becoming as a woman, was nowhere so celebrated as in the Cult of Cybele, particularly in Roman times.

The effeminate priests of the Goddess were instantly recognizable by their wearing of women’s clothing, their make-up and their overtly feminine behavior.

The Initiation process involved several rituals which marked the stages of transformation, as in order to participate in some of the Women’s Mysteries, a man had to leave his masculinity behind permanently and literally be feminized.

 

Amongst other initiation rituals, the candidate priests of Cybele would ultimately enter into the final test of dedication, which was the giving up of the vital life-blood and essence of the man to the Goddess by means of a literal castration.

Having thus freed themselves of their manhood in the mutilating rites which usually followed a frenzied orgy and given everything of value to the Goddess, the initiate would become a Priest and then be allowed to take part in the traditionally women’s only rituals and live in the Temple, performing many if not all of the functions of the Priestess and to all intents and purposes assuming the identity of a woman. Through the ultimate sacrifice of the life-blood, a man could then earn the right to live at the lotus feet of the Goddess forever.

 

This process is paralleled in all of the other ancient mystery cults of the Goddess. In the Ancient Near East, the Goddess Inanna was said to have made men into women by her own hand.

 

The Temple of the Goddess was called the Metroon, and the temple derives it’s name from the Greek words, metra” and “metro”, meaning “mother”. Both Cave and Temple are synonymous sacred places which represent the body and womb of the Great Mother. These are the places where initiation rites and divination take place.

 

 

 

From the earliest times, the priesthood were identified very closely with their Deity, and were regarded with respect as virtual representatives of the Divine wherever they went.

Of course in later more patriarchal times, the Galii and other Priestly castes such as the Hwarang and Lilin were thoroughly degraded and cast as either Homosexual prostitutes or as demonic figures.

 The idea of a trangendered priesthood was not vey appealing to the patriarchal religions at all ~ and although times have changed, the essential principle remains the same.

There is possibly nothing as threatening to the chauvinist ideal than the thought of a man becoming as a woman. After all, this would be going against the dictates of the male-dominated religions and pose a direct challenge to the masculine domination of all matters concerning sexuality and spirituality, which are synonymous in Pagan theology but very separate and conflicting issues according to the patriarchy..

 

However, the ancient custom of recognising the androgynous nature of Divinity is not a new one.Taoist traditions involve the male assuming female form when interacting with Divinity, and it can be said that in modern times, the trend within the Goddess traditions is towards a gradual alchemical process of spiritual awakening within, which ensures the devotees progress towards oneness with the Divine. The sacrifice to the Goddess of all which a man has to offer of any value is the same in principle ~ the complete removal of masculinity and the laying of a new foundation for it.

However, there is no need for a physical castration at all ~ unless the devotee wills it as a sign of utter devotion ~ as the body is but the shell or husk of the spirit within.

The worship of Cybele has an earlier precedent, in the worship of Dea Syria, also called Atargatis.

Atargatis was venerated in the same way, accompanied by ecstatic dancing to drums, cymbals and other percussion and wind instruments and including the ritual prostitution of Her priestesses together with the phallic symbolism and emasculation of Her Priests. Atargatis assumed the form and Name of the Goddess Derketo in Greece, and Her sacred places were characterized by clear ponds teeming with sacred fish who wore jewels and golden rings in their fins and gill plates..

 

Atargatis ~ Dercento is the original Mermaid Goddess, and was always described as a beautiful woman with the tail of a fish, closely associated with serpents.

The Romans embraced the Goddess and adapted their beliefs to include the veneration of the Goddess for assistance in times of war. Cybele was honoured by the Emperors of Rome; who truly believed that the Goddess was originally Trojan and through the Hieros Gamos between Cybele and Prince Aeneas, the Roman people were born.

 

Nothing is above anything else in the realms of the Great Goddess, and likewise, complete freedom of individual choice in matters of sexuality and sexual preferences are the norm, so long as it harms none and gives pleasure to all.

Indeed, all people are welcome in the Goddess universe, as long as the Goddess is recognized and accepted as the Creatrix and Genatrix of all life and women are respected and honoured as magickal givers of life ~ as being the virtual living goddesses they are.

It could be said that a real man is the one who respects women. Then, self-respect is regained and harmony results within and without ~ As Above, So Below

 

My source material for the article is based on research done in two books which every Goddess devotee should possess in my humble opinion ~

Deanna Conway’s book, Maiden, Mother and Crone : The Myth and Reality of the Triple Goddess ISBN 13 : 978-0-87542-171-1

AND Judika Illes’ very accurate and comprehensive book, The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft  - The complete a-z for the entire magickal world ISBN 13 : 978-0-00-719293-9

For additional information on the Mermaid Goddess Atargatis ~ Dercento, feel free to visit the Mermaid group in the Temple where I have posted an article in honour of the Goddess of the life-blood of the Earth; the sweet and healing waters of the Fountain of Life.

 

 

The consort of the Goddess

 

The Oak, the sacred tree of Kybele, is the tree of the Sun God as well; and the consort of the Goddess was first venerated in Roman by the Name of Attis. Attis is the Horned God with  the Bull as His symbol, and is the Roman manifestation of the shepherd God of Sumer and consort of Inanna ~ Dumuzi.

 

Attis was a shepherd boy living in amongst the wild Anatolian mountains, tending flocks of sheep and goats and completely at one with nature ~ when, one day whilst taking a rest under the dappled shade of a thorn tree, he heard the muted sound of merry tinkling and the faint laughter of a goddess. Intrigued by this and somehow drawn magnetically to an even wilder place, the Goddess appeared to him as if by Magick. Beautiful beyond compare and with volumptous waving black hair, Kybele had chosen a consort.

Attis was just so fair and good-looking, the personification of young and virile manhood. With his golden locks, perfect complexion and radiant smile, it was in no time at all that the other goddesses, their entourages and many women in the realms started to consider getting a little closer to him.

Being the kind of guy who was open and accommodating to everyone who appeared friendly and not having the social skills to discern between offers of amicable friendship and overtly sexual advances, Attis was destined for a series of rude awakenings.

As Kybele , the powerful Witch Goddess and Lady of the Beasts was more than aware of the fact that Attis was not only the best-looking young consort of any of his contemporaries but also highly in demand socially, the Goddess was naturally protective over him.

Conflicted by the apparent jealousy of the Goddess, Attis became struck by remorse at all the times he had been let into practically having affairs with all of the other women and decided to actually enter into one without the Goddess' knowledge thereof.

Overwhelmed by guilt and a desire to set things right,

He left the palace one morning, before the Morning Star had risen, and disappeared back to the beloved Anatolian mountains he called home.

The barren and windswept soil on top of the highest mountain peak was the place he had chosen.

Taking out his curved , razor-sharp blade, Attis faced towards the setting Sun and with one swift and committed stroke, severed his manhood.

 

When the Goddess awoke and discovered that Attis had departed without letting anyone know anything about it, she gazed deeply into her translucent crystal ball and almost instantly saw her beloved lying curled up and rapidly dying in a widening pool of blood.

Arriving a minute too late, Kybele had to stand by and watch the first deep purple violets of Spring-time spring forth from the ground where the blood had spilt.

Overcome with grief for an instant, Kybele decided to reverse the death of her consort and with Her incredible powers, granted him immortality and eternal life, with a little help from the Serpent God Zeus and the other Deities with whom She was acquainted and whom also loved the boy, now turned King and who had become part of the Goddess at last, Her masculine side and other half..

[171ibyle6lr4l]

I absolutely love anything ancient!The second to-the-last picture"Venus"is my favorite.I'm not sure if that's who she is,but this picture reminds me of her.I like to read often about ancient history.It's one of my principle interests.I feel that women deserve a revolution of being equal,if not even greater(which I could accept)than their adversary men.And your time and essence is now.It would make more sense to me if God was a women; just because you're more kind than most men.In my opinion,women know the change is coming.You have been waiting.The earth is transforming and leaderships are marking their change.Peaceful living in-the-light!

[Zephonith Serpent Woman]

Thanks for your insightful comments, Paul

However, it's not about antagonisms any more, rather , returning to the Goddess within and without will ensure equality and complementary ways in which woman and men can relate , bridging the artificially created divide between us all and allowing us the freedom to live in love and enjoy our lives to the fullest.

Thanks for reading, it is truly my pleasure.

Goddess Blessings )O(